On February 17th. After my mom died he helped clean out her apartment and helped organize our garage with all of her stuff in it. Then about a week later he just didn't have the energy and would have to go back inside to go sit down. He went into the emergency room December 20th and they said he had pneumonia. He got out and started drooping weight. He went into the emergency room again January 14th and when I picked him up the next day I just started crying. He had lost 20lbs. in one month. We had the memorial service for my mom on the 17th of January and everyone could see that clearly my Dad was not doing well. On January 26th he had lost so much weight and was so weak that his legs could no longer hold the weight of his body and he began using a wheelchair. On the 29th my husband took him to a doctor's appointment in Loma Linda and they admitted him-we were hoping they would. On Feb 1st I went to visit him and he had many tests scheduled-a lung biopsy, a bone scan and a liver biopsy. On Wednesday he called me with the results. He had lung cancer that had spread throughout his body- it was in his liver, pancreas and bones. It was incurable and untreatable and he only had weeks to live. Two days later his sister came out to visit and she stayed for two days. I wanted to move Dad closer to our house but I knew that he had a few friends visiting him there. They had gone and watched the Superbowl with him and that brightened his day. After I asked him if he wanted to move and be closer to us or stay and be closer to his friends he said I want to move! So I immediately filled out paperwork to get him moved. The next day, Friday Feb 12th my Husband drove out there and moved him 5 minutes from our house. It was perfect timing because my Dad's other three kids from North Carolina were coming on Valentines day. His kids are 18, 16, and 11. He was so happy to have them visit. By this time he was very confused and he thought we were going to take him with us. He also stopped eating. They left on Tuesday morning the 16th. Later that morning I went to visit him but he was fast asleep. I went back later that afternoon and I was so happy to see that he was in his wheelchair and looking out the window. I had three kids with me and after about 15 minutes they started making too much noise and we said goodbye. I wish I would have taken him outside with us but I didn't think of it. Later after my husband got out of school he stopped by to go see him and he was asleep. My husband told him thank you for all he has done for us and that he was a good man and that he loves him. In the morning at 7:30 I heard my cell phone ringing and I went running to it but missed the call. When I saw the number I knew it was hospice. I returned the call and the nurse said that William has expired. I just broke down crying. Dad died in his sleep within an hour of them finding him.
So now I am trying to work through all of these emotions of losing both my parents within 2 1/2 months of each other.
